Friday, 7 December 2018

I've taken a gander into the future & it is 3D Printing!
Since it's commercial conception, I've always wanted a 3D printer but thought that it would be a ridiculous amount of money to get one. I imagine many with this perception as well. BUT then Comic-Con Africa happened & changed the game. So so many cosplayers were sporting 3D Printed props & even entire costumes! After speaking to a cosplayer about the Red Hood mask he printed, I couldn't believe some of the prices of the with the lowest priced at about only R3000! I mean anyone could totally save up or straight up buy that. Wasn't even a question. And if you've been following Insta/Facebook or Whatsapp stories you'll know Alfonzo Words has officially joined the 3D Printing game & I've been printing up a storm ever since.
I'd like to invite you to share in this momentous moment with me as I launch my 3D Printing Business. Word of mouth marketing is still the BEST marketing alive, so help spread the word by telling your friends & family. Thank you all for your continued support.

First, I'd like to give a MAJOR MAD Respect & MAD Love Shout Out to Don from 3Drone.co.za

Truly one of the most helpful dudes you'll ever meet & so affordable it's unheard off. I can honestly say I never would have made it this far without his business & his expert assistance.
Through a collaborative effort, we were able to go behind the scenes to see how one of these 3D Printers is set up the right way.
Don unboxed & set up the whole machine for me, including adding this personal touch of my Brand Name on the printer's LED menu interface!!! So awesome.I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend 3Drone.co.za

Instead of the commonly bought CCTree brand, Don suggested we try out the Hello 3D Filament {material used in 3D Printing}, so I took several 1kg each reels to try out.

And so the first ever prints were underway. I printed an earphone hack that keeps your earphones firmly in your ears in the event of actions like working out or dancing. and what the 3D printing community affectionately calls "Benchy" which is basically a test print to test the quality of your printer.

After some talk with Don & some further calibration, I started hitting a stride in the printing. Even printed an army of baby groots & Pikachus.

Since my phone cover had become pretty worn down I thought I'd give printing a cellphone cover a shot, for this I used flexible filament {TPU}. It came out great & bendy plus it had it's true test when I accidentally dropped my phone, happy to report no damage to the phone.

Then I found these really cool "Text Flips" by Mr_Printer023 that say one thing on one side & another as you flip it up or down.

In honor of the man, the myth, the LEGEND Stan Lee, and in light of my recent post:

After having printed the Pikachus & some cookie cutters, I knew I needed help. So I popped in on my friend & blogger Cassarica Nadas aka Cassricorn.co.za for alil tutelage. We had a blast & the cookies were delicious!

Thanks to her guidance I was able to finish these two Mr. Grinchies just in time for the exclusive movie premiere I was invited to by UIP SA

One of the reasons I got so excited about 3D printing was coz of RCLifeOn, his videos are always about printing the coolest stuff. One of which was Lithophanes. Which I tried to do. The result was absolutely, jaw dropping & eye sight defying. Magical infact!

I printed this Iconic image taken from the Global Citizen Festival that Sunday. When you expose the back of the Lithophane to a light source whether natural or man-made, the picture comes alive! All the detail! is exquisite. I can print 4 family pictures like this Glue them together & make a square light box to hang up in decor.

BooYAH!! 32hr Print!

This is my longest print. The detail on this is unbelievable! Granted its a tad off layers but you can blame Eskom {load shedding} & my bad gluing for that not the printer. Clearly it can print absolute marvels & wonders.

My thoughts on the Hello 3D Filament:
Great brand, affordable & only slightly more expensive than the CCTree. I've tried both filaments & I like both but Hello 3D is the clear favorite plus they come in vacuum sealable bags so you can always keep them sealed after use. I would recommend the Graphite & Bronze over all the others. Even if you paint over it {though I don't see why you would, they will already looking amazing}. It prints the best quality & is most sturdy in layers.

I love these printers, the possibilities & applications for them are ENDLESS! & I'm just getting started.

To everyone messaging & asking for custom prints. Please email your FULL request through to enaidu710@gmail.com & they will be processed accordingly with a replied quote.

(Nb: During December I will be focusing on prints for the above mentioned Local Market. I will be taking custom orders but from those that stop by the market & fill out the request.)

Friday, 16 November 2018

An Icon, a Living Legend has passed recently. This post is to honor & celebrate the wisdom he left behind for All of us to embrace. For some of us we were all introduced to Stan via his many, many cameo appearances throughout the Marvel cinematic movies released. It was this kind of creativity & his ability to have fun with his work that kept him in our hearts & minds. Think about it, how many icons & "talent behind the scenes" gets lost in the forefront of the world? So many could be responsible for some of the coolest things ever released & we've all but forgotten them. Stan Lee became a household name & expectance in of itself. I still distinctly remember his voice over on the first spiderman game on the Playstation on. How he would blurt out "Excelsior" or "Webslinger"

Here watch it:

Now I think back to it fondly about how much he influenced my geek life growing up. Even back then.

Stan Lee(born Stanley Martin Lieber; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, and publisher who was active from the 1940s to the 2010s. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business to become Marvel Comics' primary creative leader for two decades, leading its expansion from a small division of a publishing house to a multimedia corporation that dominated the comics industry.

"You know, my motto is 'Excelsior.' That's an old word that means 'upward and onward to greater glory.'

Every day, there’s a new development. … There’s no limit to the things that are happening. – Stan Lee

He's right the world is always changing, evolving. We should live in a constant state of mindful improvement. To keep moving forward, evolve, change & Level up. I mean this dude literally worked until the day he died! He was pursuing creative ventures well into his 90's. He was constantly creating, because it wasn't "work" to him. It was just pure passion, fun & joy.
Each one of us should create our own motto to live by.

Mine is "Words are Immortal. "

What's yours?

4. Writers Life

The only advice anybody can give is, if you wanna be a writer, keep writing. And read all you can, read everything. – Stan Lee

I’m sort of a pressure writer. If somebody says, “Stan, write something,” and I have to have it by tomorrow morning, I’ll just sit down and I’ll write it. It always seems to come to me. But I’m better doing a rushed job because if it isn’t something that’s due quickly, I won’t work on it until it becomes almost an emergency and then I’ll do it. – Stan Lee

Virtually every kid is exposed to giants and ogres and talking wolves, and so forth. And magic. And I think you never outgrow your love for those imaginative, fanciful, farfetched, fantastic characters and situations. – Stan Lee

I relate so much to this dude wow. I'm a pressure writer too! Case & point this post lol. I wrote it literally at the last possible minute to the deadline I set for myself. *Facepalm. It might not be entirely healthy or productive & yes I do agree that certain things need to be planned but really & truly I have more fun writing something in the moment, than ahead of time.

Reading is so important, you have no idea the effect it has on your writing until after you read +100 books. It's like your brain subconsciously does research on

How to write:

When to add punctuation.

When to end a conversation.

How to start one.

How to plot through a chapter

It also gives you ideas:

Tropes of characters

Plot twists

Story concepts

The list of benefits goes on and on. Trust Stan the Man, Go & Read yourself up a storm.

3. Great Power = Great Responsibility

"With great power comes great responsibility." - Stan Lee

"[Being a ‘geek’] has become a badge of honor. It’s geeks who really make or break a TV show or movie or video game. They’re the ones who are passionate about these things and who collect [the paraphernalia] and talk about them. A geek is really somebody interested in communication and entertainment and [finding] the best way to avail himself or herself to it..” – Stan Lee, The Washington Post.

Probably the Most famous quote of his. This one stands out on any list of Greatest quotes of all time.

While you might think it only applies to the "powerful" I believe it applies to us all. That we all have power within ourselves. That is unique & entirely our own. It is our "responsibility" to nurture it, to cultivate it into something that governs change within our lives. Think about it, if you had power, how can you be responsible for it? In what ways? Now apply that going forward.

2. Stay Humble. Stay Human.

These stories of people with unusual powers and unusual appearances, who do unusual things, people are always fascinated by them. – Stan LeeJust because you have superpowers, that doesn’t mean your love life would be perfect. I don’t think superpowers automatically means there won’t be any personality problems, family problems or even money problems. I just tried to write characters who are human beings who also have superpowers. – Stan Lee

Here he's talking from experience. A great subject to be studied in Pop culture at university. Take heed to what he's staying, it might just give you the insight to your own story that it's been missing.

I think this equates to many things. About the core perspective. It doesn't matter the "classification of people". Whether it be Black, or LGBT+ or Aliens or Immigrants or Mutants or Women or Jewish. All those people that have been classified as separate or discriminated against in any shape or form. What matters is that they of have a quality of some humanity in each of them. That they are ALL Equal. That WE are all Equal. They all have to the capacity to Love & to Hate. They each have their own personal problems, family problems or even money problems. So really instead of discriminating & judging each other, we should be relating more than anything to people. I believe that that's what this world of Social Media revolution has helped with. For us to see JUST how much the person you never thought you would relate to, actually relates more to you than anyone you've known all your life. THAT POWER can help change the world.

1. Inspire. Create. Write.

I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. Without it they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you’re able to entertain people, you’re doing a good thing. – Stan Lee

I think because of many factors like family/societal expectancy, one's own expectancy, parental authority, monetary gain and so on that many of us in the "Creative" fields, find ourselves doubtful of our paths. Especially when we're exposed to all the news of doctors saving children down all over Africa or how the bridge being built by architects will cut traffic down by 50%. We're constantly exposed to all these stimuli of the amazing things people are accomplishing and you wonder how your artwork or piece of writing or the movie you're auditioning for or the song you're composing is going to make a dent in this ever-evolving world?? I mean how? Don't even get me started on when family member tells you about the accomplishments of cousin Tim & cousin Tina.... {eye roll} you can even see the glint in their eyes when they talking about it. You can't help but wish they would talk about you that way.

Well, Stan tells you. Look at the MASSIVE & UNDENIABLE effect his work has had on the world. Imagine how many of those doctors or lawyers that read comic books growing up. How many of them entertained to keep going in life. To live if even for that next issue that comes out the following week. Never doubt the power of entertainment.
I will forever believe that books are mankind's greatest invention of all time.

Many of you know me as a great music fan. Some know that at 17 I wrote my first sponsor letter to First Avenue in Minneapolis to partner with my college radio show (they said yes!). Several of our First Ave friends were in my Honors' Composition class and 2 of them became my co-hosts. We wrote and won a grant that resulted in an open-air radio station. And I believed in the power of writing.

I've parlayed such connections into brands on a mission and the power of giving back. Thanks to all who helped us Go Gold with Teen Cancer America during September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness month!

Now, It’s book launch and a giveaway time! I'm excited to feature several success stories and many ways to #ShineThroughtheNoise and #sparkcreativity.

I was a little shy my freshmen year in Minneapolis after growing up in St. Paul. Jim invited me to learn about radio, production, promotion and benefit concerts hands on. I screwed my courage to the sticking-place (yes, I’m an English major) and started the specialty dance show sponsored by First Avenue. Jim and I were housemates for a year in college with other radio friends in Minneapolis. He was at the helm with our WMMR Board of Directors while pursuing the grant with the University of Minnesota. Radio K (http://www.radiok.org) in Minneapolis was the radio station result!

I remember Jim painting in college. It’s a pleasure to share his creativity and success now!

“This was a blast—lots of energy. I pushed the colors to be more vibrant and warmer which felt like a great fit for AkashaLin,” Jim said when discussing the artwork and inspiration. *

Thanks, Jim! 😊 I’ve been inspired by our discussions and especially by this vibrant painting!!

and Twitter from when we share the piece in progress! I’m grateful for that and the positive energy as we start this “Shine 2” chapter.

My journey as an artist and writer at a young age since both of my parents are professional artists. My mother Barbara was getting her Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Minnesota when I was growing up; she brought my brother and me into her studios to watch art come alive! Our backyard in St. Paul became a sculpture zoo of life-size animals my mother constructed; as they became weathered she turned to modern art pieces as a founding member of the WAVE gallery in Minneapolis. My father Bob was an Art Director at the 3M headquarters in St. Paul, MN and won several grand prize snow sculpture contests by turning our yards into winter wonderlands! My first trips on a plane came from him winning these prizes, sparking my interest in travel at a young age. I’m proud to say that they did well in business and in art and continue to create. For me creativity has opened many doors. I believe it will for you as well!

My first book Secrets to Shine Through the Noise covers my journey from starving artist to mentorship and the art of giving back. I was working hard in #indiefilm as a screenwriter, actress, producer and film promoter in Minneapolis and Los Angeles. That didn’t pay off for 10 years, but it has now as an author, brand expert and filmmaker. I’ve continued writing, have won awards 11 years in a row for marketing projects and have 3 series in negotiation. In Shine Through the Noise: Spark Creativity we visit with several experts on creativity, business and giving back through this book, series and seminar in the works.

So, please open your mind, playbook and sketchpad as we spark this journey together!

*Also, confession: I was not “Akasha Garnier” in college.
Read the #ShineThroughtheNoise series to find out what I learned about names, branding and reinventing ourselves.

Jim Musil painting giveaway is open to U.S. residents and includes free shipping.

There’s one painting to give away and it will be shipped to the winner in November 2018.

There will be other prizes during the next month as we shine together!

Monday, 20 August 2018

Today marks a Special & Momentous day here on the AlfonzoWords blog, as we get an *Exclusive First Look* at the Cover of the highly anticipated sequel book,Shine Through the Noise 2 by Akasha Garnier!!!

The first book was an immense inspiration to me & a large contributor to my success today as a Social Media Influencer, Author & Blogger. My story of success is featured in the book!

Akasha first started writing Gothic stories to entertain her Halloween guests in St. Paul, Minnesota. She went to college in Minneapolis where the radio station nominated her to be Production Director and “The voice of WMMR”. Akasha enjoyed a wide range of musical influences from The Beatles, The Who, Prince, U2, Pearl Jam, The Replacements and house music. She then honed in on a show featuring dance music hosted with her honors’ writing classmate. Fortunately, the first PR proposal she ever wrote said ‘Yes’! Voila, First Avenue of “Purple Rain” fame sponsored her award-winning radio show. Akasha continued to round out her writing, PR and producer skills in alternative radio, event and video production, then travel from sea to shining sea.

Akasha’s proud of her work as a writer, producer, and actress; she balanced branding work as a writer and producer in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, London, Paris/Cannes, Maui and Hawaii. She excels at helping clients shine with 15 awards/accolades since 2007.

Akasha also enjoys giving back through her Promo Partners
The main partner right now is The Who’s Charity: Teen Cancer America and her Italian family’s Fantastic Restaurants; Nando Milano
As well as Helping people balance business and creative skills as amplifying their brand value. Akasha will celebrate the book’s release in a few select cities, and then finish negotiating her travel thriller series for release in best-selling book and film form.

Akasha was invited to write a motivational book based on her branding expertise, love of travel and the ability to inspire with the right blend of business and creative skills

From Left to Right: Akasha with the Stanley Cup from Chicago Blackhawks&America’s Cup, Oracle Team USA reign

Before the reveal here's a quick word from the Legend Herself:

"Dear Readers,

I come to you Ricoh and dear readers with the same melange about my #ShineThroughtheNoise sequel: excitement, anticipation, inspiration, and relief. I've incorporated feedback and addressed top comments. We celebrate progress and success and continue to encourage each other. Life is better and beautiful...but never flawless. We all have ebbs and flows, even if we do not share them as publicly as other moments we want to project in our posts.

I feel it's important to talk about disappointment as a natural state as we start on our path. We must let go of more expectations to be open to ideas and feedback to spark creativity and chances...and even to failing along the way. There is no perfect 10, no ideal answer that suits us all.

I explore the idea of: “Shining through" instead of just "shine on”.

By acknowledging more ups and downs and the fact that we are not always picture perfect we are being authentic.

This will help you:

Make room for breakthrough.

Hear your voice intuition and inner guidance.

Know when you're on the right path when you see/feel alignment of people, ideas and opportunities.

I am encouraged by the number of deeper connections I've been able to make with readers, followers, travelers, writers, entrepreneurs and friends. I am expanding ideas into a workshop and seminar as I write this and meeting with sponsors in October to find a good fit.

August 17 I attended a community event in Los Angeles hosted by Judd Apatow that will raise $5-8 million for Teen Cancer America. I'll follow up with the final numbers. And believe me, the venue for the private benefit is right out of a glamorous scene from my #Davanti thriller series, which is set in LA, Chicago and several gorgeous rivieras. More news coming on Davanti thriller in book and film form too! I know this event and Shine 2 launch was meant to happen first. I'm honored to share it with you!!

One of the fantastical elements of TEMPER is that nearly everyone is born with a twin, and those twins split seven vices among them, each getting branded down their arms early in childhood. I’m a sucker for good twin/bad twin stories, but for this one, I wanted to tell the story from the point of view of the bad twin, Auben, who has six of the seven vices.

The vices are:

Vainglory, or vanity and the consumption with one’s own beauty

Envy, or the intense desire to have what others hold dear

Duplicity, or the propensity to tell lies and otherwise deceive people

Doubt, or the uncertainty of self

Lechery, or the drive to indulge in sexual or mental pleasures (in this context, practicing science is seen as a form of lechery)

Greed, or the desire to accumulate wealth and material goods past the point of need

Temper, or the violent loss of self-control

Are the Vices like the Seven Deadly Sins? If so, does it relate to Christian Themes?

They are very similar, but I wanted to put my own spin on it. For one, these vices are literally branded upon your arm for all the world to see. They drive your actions, but if your twin is close by, they’re more or less diluted or tempered into something manageable. When twins separate for an extended amount of time or distance, those vices run wild, and someone with vainglory as a vice might find themselves consumed with their reflection in a mirror, forgetting to eat, forgetting to sleep. But virtues run wild, too, and a charitable person might be driven to give every bit of their life away, including the shirt off their back. Either extreme could mean death for one or both twins if they’re not brought back into proximity of one another.

List the virtues:

The virtues that run counterpoint to vices are:

Humility

Conscience

Sincerity

Diligence

Chasity

Charity

Grace

The chapters are named after Auben’s six vices and his one virtue, Charity.

Can a person have all vices & no virtues? Or vice versa, all virtue & no vices?

The number of vices a person has can severely limit their potential in society. It determines what jobs they’re eligible for, what neighborhoods they live in, and who they marry. Having four vices is common. Five, less so, about ten percent of the population, and those with six, like Auben, are fairly rare, about one in three hundred. No one has been born with all vices and all virtues since the original twins, Grace and Icy Blue, the deities that created humanity.

How does the "demonic possession" & "demons" tie in with the vices & the twin phenomenon in this version of South Africa?

The big horror element in the novel is that there are demons lurking around, and they particularly get up to no good when the weather turns cold, the Narrow Season in this book. People participate in rituals that will keep the demons away, like putting out cinnamon-scented candles and hosting feasts, so that family stays close and they can keep an eye on each other during this dangerous time of year.

Possessions are common enough that the local churches or sanctuaries offer buy-one-get-one-half-off exorcisms during the Narrow Season. Most possessions are an annoyance, but sometimes particularly strong demons can cause people to black out, to perform violence, and lose their minds. Auben is afflicted by such a beast, and must figure out a way to exorcise the demon before it destroys his life.

What do you think is the worst vice & the most common vice among people in or out of the book?

Well, it’s tempting to say temper, since so much violence is born out of it, but really the most damaging, in and out of the book, is doubt. Doubt kills dreams. Squashes hopes. There’s so much potential for good out there, but we are often brought down, and not by some nefarious villain, but oftentimes by our own family and friends. Tempers flare, but fade eventually. Doubt lingers. Burrows through your heart, steals away your happiness, and consumes you from within.

If you could choose just one message this book would deliver to a reader, what would that message be?

That for better or worse, we are all connected. Our ties to family and friends can feel like both a burden and a gift, depending on the day, but we need to actively cultivate those relationships, or they’ll whiter away. Even relationships between people who are tied as closely together as twins.

Pretty sure there will be more (it's a really good book), but I wanted to be clear that it's not just me shouting TEMPER from the rooftops. Happy pub day, @nickydrayden! 8/8

#TemperCityTour - A 10 day virtual tour where you can win NEW RELEASES!

Announcing the start of a 10 day #TemperCityTour on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, where I'll be giving out prizes for tagging an image of TEMPER with the hashtag above and a message like "Losing my Temper in [City Name]" or "Temper spotted in [City Name]" or whatever else is book related.

It can be a picture of you reading the book, a picture of it on a library or bookstore shelf, a photoshopped image of the book cover with a city monument or attraction in the background, a cool "bookstagram" image, whatever!

Prizes include daily drawings for a 2018 release paperback of the book of your choice (under $20), with additional prizes chosen by me for funniest, cutest, and best overall post. If we get 50 cities, I will have bonus prizes!

Open Internationally, ages 18+.

SWAG BRAG!

Also thanks to everyone who's done swag brags! I've seen you out there! (These are just a few.) You are all amazing! Keep it up!